M5 Driving School at Spartensburg S.C.

I attended the M5 Driving Expperience at the BMW Performance Center. It was like a 1 day M school but is no longer available. They run a first class school that's a great experience. The M school would teach a great deal about car control, using the safety systems (DSC, ABS, etc), and performance driving techniques. It is not a racing school. The advanced M school assumes you know the first two items and teaches advanced performance driving techniques. I think it costs even more. I do not know what cars they currently use. It is possible the e39 M5 use is about ended but they may continue to use it until the e60 M5 is out.

Now for the question if it's worth the cost. I think the cost covers food, lodging, and a helmet. Many schools do not. If you have no performance driving experience, it will help your driving technique a lot and make you safer on normal highways. The instuctors are great and can focus 1 on 1. With a club event at a track, you use your own car, wear out tires and brakes, and risk a costly repair if you "oops". Plus, you never know how good of an instructor you'll get. If you already have track or performance driving experience, a racing school (Skip Barbor, Darek Dailey, etc) may be better.

FYI, the folks at the BMW PC are very helpful and can answer any question. Per the BMW web site, the number is 888-345-4269

I attended the 2 day Advanced Skills School 2 years ago. They use 330 automatics. First rate facility and instructors. Some classroom instruction , but the majority is seat time with the instructors coaching via radio. The first thing they tell you " It's not your car" so drive it hard . Cost was <$800 , but did not include dinner or lodging. Breakfast and lunch are provided as well as transportation from the airport, if you decide to fly. I included the school in a vacation to N. Mrytle Beach. Spartanburg was only a 3.5 hrs drive. This school also included an X5 driving experience . The Perfromance Center has an off road obstacle course. At the end of the school, they offer a "buffet". The class members pick 5 cars to drive on the track. Our class picked a M5, M3 w/SMG, M coupe, X5 4.6 and a 745. They had Z8s there, but they were strickly off limits. At the time, I had a 540 and my instructor noticed that I was always checking out the M5s ( they had one of every color ). He told me to hang around after the first day's class ended. After everyone else left, he told me to pick a M5 from the line and we jumped in and buckled up. He then proceeded to demonstrate the capabilities of an M5 on the track. Then he allowed me to take a few hot laps. It was at that moment, I knew I had to get one.
I arrived a half a day early and went over to the Perfromance School after taking a tour of the manufacturing facility( highly recommended) . The first day of a M school was being conducted . One the instructors told me the the 2nd day, they take the M5s to a nearby tire manufacturers track for the high speed ( >100mph) portion of the class.
After my experience, I would say you definately get what you pay for and it is well worth it. I was actually sore on the drive home after the 2 days and I had a grin frozen in my face for about a week.
To bad, BMW does not offer a discounted M school to CPO owners.

Pip,

The phone number where they take the reservations is 888-345-4269, it is toll free if dialed from the US and as it happened to me, you may find a problem in calling from abroad. One of the girl's contact information at the Performance Center is:
Diane L. Nevelle
Driver Training & Events Manager
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I took the M School last summer and enjoyed every piece of it. When compared to the Porsche Driving School in Alabama yes it is more expensive but it covers insurance and some extras. There are two driving intensive days and the seat time is just great, you always have a car for yourself and throughout the different exercises you get to use all of the cars (M5 + M3).

As many of those not fortunate enough to attend the M5 expereince after buying the car, I decided to go to to test the limits of the M cars (at that time, I had just bought me an E46 M3 SMG to pair with an E39 M5). I surely enjoyed my time there and learned a few tricks that I then started practicing at home (well almost all of those). The facilities are state of the art and the instructors are really friendly.

I'm a repeat offender since I'm going to the Advanced M School this fall, there is a special session which will be held at VIR (Virginia International Raceway), immediately after the Rolex Grand Am race so we will have the chance to look at the BMW PTG race team. It is confirmed that the cars to be used will be the E39 M5 and now the E46 M3 with a shift, SMG's and also, the one with the Competition Package.